Push for immigration reform migrates east

They advertised their event as an effort to urge U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan to support immigration reform.

But by the end of the Organizing for America event in Sarasota last week, leaders made clear that they have essentially given up on convincing Buchanan to sign on to the immigration reform bill — HR 15 — they want passed.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, has been supportive of addressing the nation’s immigration laws but has consistently said he is against “amnesty” for undocumented residents and wants stronger border enforcement.

Dylan Shepherd, state immigration director for OFA, told about a dozen people at the Selby Library in downtown Sarasota that they need to instead focus their attention on other Republicans — namely U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Orlando — more likely to support their cause than Buchanan.

“We don’t believe there is any chance he will change his position,” Shepherd told the audience when asked about convincing Buchanan to support a measure that is stalled in the House.

Shepard said instead of pressuring Buchanan to vote for the HR 15, they should urge him to help push for allowing a vote on the comprehensive immigration reform bill sponsored by Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Miami.

Shepard said he still wants people in Sarasota to make sure Buchanan knows they support immigration reform. But he said there is just a better chance of getting Republicans like Webster, Miami’s Mario Diaz-Balart or Panama City’s Steve Southerland to sign onto the bill that is already supported by most Democrats in Congress.

“We do need to keep pressure on Congress to act,” Shepherd said.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, is the only Republican from Florida to so far sign on as a co-sponsor of the Garcia-led bill.

Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, has been supportive of addressing the nation’s immigration laws but has consistently said he is against “amnesty” for undocumented residents and wants stronger border enforcement.

The U.S. Senate has already passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill — backed by Sen. Marco Rubio, a Miami Republican. However, the bill cannot become law unless both chambers pass an identical bill.

Independent challengers

Though political experts consider his seat relatively safe, Buchanan is drawing increasing opposition in his bid for a fifth two-year term in Congress.

Over the last two weeks, two independent candidates — both from south Sarasota County — have launched campaigns to challenge Buchanan for re-election.

Mike Rodgers, a 30-year-old Venice High graduate, filed to run for the 16th Congressional District on Nov. 8. Then Venice resident Joe Venuti, 75, filed to run for the same office on Nov. 18.

They joined Bradenton Democrat Mitch Mallett, 57, who announced in October that he intends to run against Buchanan.

Though all three have announced they intend to run, they must first qualify by either paying a fee or submitting petitions between April 28 and May 2. Independent candidates must pay $6,960 to qualify, and major party candidates must pay $10,440. To qualify by petition, candidates in the 16th District need to submit 4,839 signatures from registered voters.

The signature requirement is based on 1 percent of the number of registered voters in a congressional district.

Buchanan is not considered to be in any danger by the top national political forecasters. For instance, the Rothenberg Political Report lists 52 House districts in play in 2014, including five Florida districts. The 16th District, which includes all of Sarasota and most of Manatee counties, is not on the list.

Beruff won’t finish term

Manatee County developer Carlos Beruff told the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club on Friday that he expects to cut short his tenure on the Southwest Florida Water Management District board, which overseas regional water policy.

Beruff was appointed for a term that runs until March 1, 2017. In May he was elected to a 1-year term as the 13-member board’s chairman.

But Beruff, a Republican, told 30 people at a lunch meeting on Friday that when his tenure as chairman of the water district ends, he intends to resign, feeling he’s accomplished what he set out to do — bring a business approach to the agency’s spending.

Beruff pushed back at the criticism that he got on the board to help him with his development projects. He said that, if anything, he feels district officials have been tougher on him because they want to avoid any appearance of favoritism.

The agency’s board is one of just three on which Beruff, a prominent Republican political donor, serves. He is also a member of the State College of Florida board of trustees and the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport Authority.

Delegation meets

Manatee County’s delegation to the Florida Legislature plans to meet in early December to prioritize issues and budget requests from community leaders and residents for 2014.

The Florida Legislature meets from March to May, but local lawmakers traditionally meet earlier for community input. The Manatee County legislative delegation meets from 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 4 at the University South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Selby Auditorium, 8350 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.

Contact Rep. Jim Boyd’s office at (941) 708-4968 or kathi.brown@myfloridahouse.gov for more or to present to the group.

Jeremy Wallace

Jeremy Wallace has covered politics for more than 15 years.
He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4966.
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Last modified: November 24, 2013
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